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Monday, January 12, 2015

Week 65


Dear fam, friends and erebody..

Wow this past week has been absolutely crazy! Transferring to a new area is always a big adjustment and a lot of change, so of course its crazy. But I am so grateful to be here in Sangye for so many reasons. Our ward is AWESOME.. they have such a strong desire to do missionary work.. One really amazing thing, all of our members have an alarm on their phone that goes off at 9pm every night, and it doesn't matter where they are or what they're doing, they pray for the missionaries. How amazing is that? It just blows my mind. That, and the fact that we do yoga stretches to start out relief society lets me know that this is the ideal place to be. :) I still miss Taebaek with a burning fiery passion.. but I know that as I get to know and love and serve the people here it will go away! Sangye is pretty neat. I feel blessed. That's all.

We have a lot of investigators right now with a lot of potential here! I haven't met too many of them yet, but we've had great lessons with the ones I have met. One lady in particular is named Anna Kim. She is very good at english and she started meeting with the sisters here several weeks ago. We're doing family english program with her but it usually just turns into 30 min. of the gospel in english and 30 min. in Korean, so that's great! She has had a hard time with people from other churches in the past being backstabbers and mean people so she's skeptical to commit to a church. But she says so far she really likes what she's seen of our church and she's so impressed by all the young missionaries that give our church a good image. She has the desire to read the book of mormon and find out if what we're teaching her is true. She wasn't able to come to church this last sunday but she wants to come next week! I pray good things happen there! We also met a few new investigators this week since I've been here! Seriously I've been here less than a week and I've already seen so many miracles. 

Wow its such a party living with 3 koreans!! I thought adjusting to hearing basically only Korean 24/7 would be a lot harder than it has been! That means I've learned a think or two right?? Its a lot of fun. My companion Sister Jeon is so sweet! We get along well. In our first few days together she already opened up to me and told me all of her deep dark secrets haha. We're tight! I'm excited to work hard with her as Sister training leaders together. Some of the sisters in our zone are having a hard time finding right now so hopefully at our zone training this week and in our exchanges to come, we'll  be able to speak through the spirit and help them out. Being an sister training leader is great because I receive so much more than I give! Tomorrow is our missionary leadership training at president's house.. it should be great. I'm stoked!

This morning I was studying John 11, about when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. I found so much comfort in the simple verse 35, "Jesus wept". He wept because he loved Lazarus, He was his good friend. He wept because it hurt Him to see his dear family and sisters in so much pain. I think He also wept because in that moment He recognized the undeniable task of the atonement that he was to fulfill for the world.. and He realized that he would be taking upon Himself not only the sins of the world, but the sickness, the death, the heart breaks of each on of us individually. I love my Savior.. and I am so glad He loves me enough to do that for me. I feel confident in saying that He weeps for me too. As He does for all of us.

Well basically this is life for me right now! I feel grateful to have this new start in a new area (will be my last... AHHHH) Time is just zipping, so I gotta make the most of every second! I love being a missionary. Love this gospel, love you all.

Sister Holmes
홈스 자매
transfers...saying goodbye :(



Jeon Abin Chamenim!


Sangye!

Monday, January 5, 2015

Week 64


Dear fam

I remember having an interview with my mission president 5 transfers ago before I came out to Taebaek. I was talking about how hard it was for me to be leaving Sinchon, and all of the people there that meant so much to me. Well, at that time he made a promise to me that when the time comes for me to leave Taebaek, it would be even harder. Well, his promise has been fulfilled. Yep, after 7 wonderful months here in Taebaek, as John would say "my time has come". I'm leaving Taebaek! We got our transfer calls Saturday night. Headed back to the city... I'm going to an area called Sangye! Saying goodbye has been one of the hardest things I've done on my mission, no joke! The members here in Taebaek have become a part of my life that I can never forget. Each of them means so much to me.. I feel so unbelievably blessed to have had the opportunity to serve in Taebaek. It has changed my life. Even though it is so hard.. Its bittersweet. Because I really am so excited to go to my new area, Sangye. It is one of the most amazing areas in our mission... I know it will be amazing. I feel so blessed and really so excited to be able to serve there for my last three transfers! My new companion's name is Jeon Ah Bin! She's korean and I'll be living with 2 other korean sisters as well.. I am STOKED! Its crazy, I'm going from the smallest zone in the mission to the biggest.. Total opposites. Sister Jeon and I will be the sister training leaders out there. It will be a grand new adventure. Although leaving Taebaek is the hardest thing ever.. I know that great things are instore. I trust Heavenly Father. He sent me to Taebaek and it was better than anything I could've imagined.. so I imagine I'll leave Sangye feeling that same way.

I can't believe how fast this last transfer flew by, I hardly had any time to process it at all. It was probably the fastest transfer of my whole mission (and they just keep getting faster). With MLC, exchanges, Christmas and New years, every week seemed to be so packed. It was a transfer filled with happiness, the spirit, and Christ's love. We have had a hard time finding people to teach these past 2 transfers but I wouldn't have traded the experience we had for anything. Sister Stancliffe and I grew closer to our Savior as we dedicated ourselves to finding.We feel strongly that maintaining relationships with old investigators is really important. I told you about Jeong Sung Kyong last week, how we visited her and actually have started meeting with her again. It was a cool miracle. Also this week we've started teaching one of our long time english class comer's kids with their cousins and grandma during their winter vacation. It might be a short teaching time, but it just goes back to developing those relationships so that we prepare them for accepting the gospel in the future.

This week I conquered the world.. Hiked Taebaek San (mountain) on New Years day with our branch at -14 degrees c. We ate ramen with monks at the top. It was awesome. Haha definitely a new years that I will never forget!

Sister Stancliffe.. Oh how I love her. Leaving her will be hard! I feel like a momma bird that has to let my baby spread her wings and fly haha, I'm not kidding. I know she'll do great things here in Taebaek with Sister Schillemat. She has learned how to work really hard!

I don't have much else to say this week and I don't have much time! Gotta get ready to go.. We leave to Seoul tomorrow. We're having a family home evening/leaving party at the church tonight and a lot of our english class members and investigators are coming so it should be awesome. I love Taebaek. I'm gonna miss it so much I can't even explain. I am coming back here someday.. I already promised all of our members haha so its gonna happen.

I love this gospel! I love this work. More and more every day. Can't wait to fill you all in next week about the awesome new experiences I'll be having in Sangye!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! LOVE YOU ALL!

Sister Holmes
홈스 자매

Hiking!

The Korean traditional New Year's meal of "dok-kuk" (rice cake) soup! You have to eat it to get a year older :) I'M 22!

Goodbyes...